Perhaps, the most forcible form of appeal will be the following letter from one of the first of the Bethel captains :—

"Mr. Editor,-As you are about to enter upon a new year, to unfurl your BETHEL FLAG' for the instruction of our young friends, I beg leave to offer you a word which will interest many in the country. I have lately seen many friends to sailors, who are anxious to encourage its circulation; and through it, by your recommendation, many might be induced to collect for the Society sufficient to purchase a Bethel Flag, the cost of which is about sixteen shillings. How very

delightful for a little boy to think that, by his exertions, there was a Bethel Flag flying in various and remote parts of the world, inviting sailors to hear the glad tidings of salvation by Jesus Christ. There are now many wise and pious captains and mates of ships, ready to do this; and the Directors of the British and Foreign Sailors' Society have great pleasure in granting flags to those valuable men. This refined pleasure will, I hope, be enjoyed also by many a little girl.

"I had the honour and happiness of hoisting my own Bethel Flag in many ports in Asia, Africa, and America, and I have seen manifest tokens of good to the souls of seamen rest on the humble exertions of my past days, through the blessing of God.

"I am very anxious that many of our religious families should be found forwarding this good work, and promoting the cause of Christ among

seamen.

"I remain yours, in Christian bonds,

"B. PRYNN."

DON'T GIVE UP THE SAILORS.

If we could obtain the testimonies, or publish those we have, of all who have obtained the knowledge of salvation by Jesus Christ, at Bethel meetings, on ship-board, our readers would be both astonished and delighted. But we give the following, as part of a letter to a minister of Christ, a friend to sailors :

"Rev. and dear Friend,

"Nearly two years have passed since first I heard your voice upon the deck of a man-of-war; and, oh, when I look back and contrast my present situation with what it was then, my poor heart swells with gratitude. It was a Lord's Day afternoon, in August, 1837, when you came on board our ship. Never shall I forget the scene. Having faithfully declared the salvation of God to myself and shipmates, you took me by the hand. I felt myself a sinner-you pointed me to Jesus; but I felt condemned already-the cloud grew black-the thunderings of the law from Mount Sinai rang in my ears- -The wages of sin is death.' But again you took me by the handyou spoke of blood gushing from a Saviour's sideof salvation, salvation free for all. You told me of the love of God-of love unbounded;-my soul took courage-the cloud gave way-my faith received a Saviour,-and I have proved by blessed experience, that a SAILOR can be saved. Receiving through your influence my discharge from the navy, immediately I began to persuade my fellow-men to become reconciled to God. To this work I have devoted all my time and strength, and I bless God that I have not laboured alto

gether in vain. How different my situation from what it was when you found me on ship-board; neither am I the only one that will bless God that you ever stood upon the deck of a line-ofbattle ship. And now, my father (you told me I might call you so), I have one thing to ask; it is this-DON'T GIVE UP THE SAILORS. You have long laboured for them, and God has owned your labours. Some who have heard you died in the arms of faith; and although they may sleep beneath the mountain-wave, when Jesus comes triumphant, they will burst their coral tombs, throw off their sea-weed shrouds, and, ascending upward, clap their golden wings around the eternal throne."

THE CHILD'S GUIDE TO THE BIBLE. CHAPTER I.

The Origin of the Bible.

HAPPY times! that the poorest child may possess a Bible! But every one reading the Scriptures ought to know how we came to have this blessed book, our sure guide to wisdom, holiness, and heaven.

It is

BIBLE signifies Book; and we call it "The Bible," because it is the best of all books. called " Holy," as it came from God, by holy men. Its lessons are holy; teaching us how we may become holy; to know, and love, and serve God on earth, so as to dwell with him in heaven, through Jesus Christ our Saviour.

دو

The Bible is often called "The Scriptures," because scripture signifies writing; and this book contains all the writings by men inspired of God. The Bible is in two parts, "The Old and New Testaments ; so called, as testament means a will, as the writing of an aged person, about to die, is called, when it declares how he wills his children and friends to share his houses, money, and goods, after his death. This title is given to each part of the Bible, as it declares how God will bless his children in this life, and in the world to come. The first part is called "Old,” as it was written by the prophets, many ages before the coming of Christ, relating to the history and religion of the patriarchs and Jews. The other part is called " New, because it was written by disciples of our Saviour, after he ascended to heaven, sending them to call all nations to believe his gospel and become Christians. The Bible is often called "The Word of God," as the writers were inspired by the Holy Spirit to declare the words of God to men. This appears from Genesis, which contains a history of the world for nearly three thousand years from the creation, revealed to Moses.

But children, who read the Scriptures, should remember that they were not written in English, as the title says, "THE HOLY BIBLE, containing the Old and New Testaments, translated out of the original tongues." Moses, Joshua, David, Solomon, Isaiah, Malachi, and the other prophets, used the Hebrew language, in which they wrote the Old Testament: the books of the New Testament were written in Greek.

Happily for thousands, God put it into the hearts of learned men to translate the Scriptures

into the English, the French, and other languages: that even a child may read the blessed things of Jesus Christ, and learn the way of salvation. But, to satisfy those children who are curious, we give the word Jerusalem in letters of both those characters in Hebrew it is, b; and in Greek, ‘Ιεροσολυμα.

These letters are shown, that every child may see the goodness of God, not only in giving the Scriptures, but in raising up learned men to translate them for us. This service is now being

done by our missionaries, to bless the heathen in China, Africa, and other countries, with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Every child, knowing how we obtained the Scriptures, may, therefore, often sing Dr. Watts' lines:

"Then let me love my Bible more,

And take a fresh delight;

By day to read these wonders o'er,
And meditate by night."

CHAPTER II.

The creation of all things. Genesis i. ii.

CHILDREN, behold on the earth, in the sea, and in the sky, the wonderful works of the Creator. And those very young ask many questions about the trees, the flowers, the beasts, the birds, the fishes, and the flies. Seeing also "the sun that rules the day, and the moon and stars that govern the night," little boys, who seek knowledge, cannot refrain from such inquiries. They soon learn that all the workmen in the world cannot make a living bird or insect, nor give life to one when dead.